The share of renewable energy in total energy consumption in the Netherlands fell last year. The main reason is a change in the European guidelines on biomass that counts as sustainable. This is reported by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) based on provisional figures.
The consumption of solar and wind energy increased in 2021 compared to a year earlier. Due to stricter European sustainability criteria, less biomass was included in the renewable energy share.
According to Statistics Netherlands, it is still unclear exactly how these criteria should be applied. Biomass is mainly used to produce heat. This is usually done by burning wood. In addition, biomass is also used to generate electricity and to produce biofuels.
Last year, the share of renewable energy was 12 percent of total energy consumption. In 2020 this was still 14 percent.
Wind energy consumption increased by more than a third. Consumption from offshore wind turbines in particular increased significantly, by 71 percent, because wind farms were in operation all year round. Wind energy therefore accounts for 3,4 percent of the total gross energy consumption in the Netherlands.
Solar energy consumption grew by 28 percent last year and the installation of new solar panels is the main cause of that increase. Solar energy now accounts for more than 2 percent of total energy consumption in the Netherlands.
Source: businessinsider.nl
